Performances by:Hahbi’Ru FatChanceBellyDance UNMATA with Calamity SamJill Parker & The Foxglove Sweethearts
And more to be announced … Hang tight and RSVP here. We will update you when we announce the full lineup.

This is both a night of performances in an intimiate venue with a selection of San Francisco’s Pioneers in the Global Belly Dance community AND a night on the dancefloor. 2 rooms with different music and performances.

DJ Amar and Calamity Sam return to their So-Cal residency joined by a smash-bangin lineup of LA’s top dancers, musicians and DJs. This night will showcase a wide range of dance performance styles, with dancefloor music spanning genres and cultures across the globe.

We are back at our wonderful home in Hollywood: The King King, for a holiday spectacular that you will not want to miss. Discover the magic and music of Zulu lounge with resident DJs Amar and Psychotropic rockin the dancefloor with a special ATS and ITS jam on stage leading you into the night after an evening chock full of amazing performances.

A note from Electric Vardo:

Hello and thank you to all of our dear supporters who keep us creating. You are the ones who continue to make it happen.

We are coming out of a whirlwind of a month, with everything from Calamity Sam performing at the Fillmore with Unmata, Zoe and Beats Antique to saying goodbye to a music legend and friend who inspired and was a great influence in Amar’s career as a DJ and music producer – Cheb i Sabbah. We took opportunities to celebrate his life and continue to do so.

December kicks off a Tribute tour to Cheb i Sabbah with a PreParty for the Mystic Island Festival in Santa Cruz and a New Year’s Eve show in Portland. Inspire Truth on New Year’s Eve is an important event and honor for Amar, as he will be playing the set that Cheb i Sabbah was booked to play, as a tribute to him. Continuing into 2014, Amar will be visiting different cities in collaboration with local DJs and dancers who have been close to and influenced greatly by his music. 2014 tour dates will be announced in January.

Sam just wrapped up her Hot Pot I.T.S. sessions for 2013 and will be taking a short break until January … Ok, well, not really a break. While in LA for Zulu Lounge, she will be teaching a workshop in LA, hosted by BFLA. Following that, she will teach a couple of Fusion Belly Dance classes in Oakland before ITS resumes in 2014.

We hope you will join us at some of these events if you are local or if we make it to your town. Remember you can stream the Underground Nomads Tuesdays live from your home if you are far away from us.

Thank you for your support,
DJ Amar & Calamity Sam,
Electric Vardo

Friday December 6 (Los Angeles, CA): BFLA Presents Calamity Sam
Calamitous Combos workshop
LA Belly Dancers: Thanks to Rodin, Shoop and BFLA …
She’s coming back to town! Don’t miss your chance to dance with THE Calamity Sam! Come learn a couple of her favorite combos, and stay after for some ITS jammin’.

Calamity Sam will also be teaching at Cues & Tattoos on Sunday March 30th and performing at the Instructor’s Showcase on Friday March 28th, 2014 in Seattle, WA, and at Fusion Fest in Boise later next summer (dates tba). Other workshops and events in the works. Visit thecalamitysam.com for Sam’s whereabouts and links to register for her workshops.

This most exquisite evening will be a chance to buy discounted Tickets for Mystic Island Festival to be held on Maui Jan 30 through Feb 3. Featuring Yoga Work Shops and Music By Random Rab, Shimshai, The Human Experience, Chris Berry, Kaminanda, David Star Fire, and Many More.

Tuesday December 31 / New Year’s Eve (Portland, OR): Inspire TruthCheb i Sabbah Tribute set by DJ Amar, joined by Nagasita.
DJ Amar is honored to play a set to represent, celebrate and honor Cheb i Sabbah‘s music, as he will be performing in his place during the timeslot that Chebiji was booked to play at this Beloved Festival’s New Year’s Eve event at the Portland Art Museum.

Amar will be joined by one of Chebiji’s favorite dancers in Portland, Nagasita. weaving the Outernational sounds from years past during their days spinning at Cheb i Sabbah’s legendary Nickies Tuesdays into the latest rhythms from nights they played together earlier this year at their new Underground Nomads Tuesday reincarnation.

Sunday December 8
(San Francisco):
New Delhi Restaurant andCompassionate Chefs Cafe
Bollywood Dance Party
Electric Vardo and Non Stop Bhangra have been a part of Compassionate Chefs Cafe with New Delhi Restaurant Chef and founder Ranjan Dey, since he started the organization a few years ago. CCC is a San Francisco-based non-profit organization with one goal: To help children locally and globally. We help the Tenderloin After School Program (TASP) and Gandhi Ashram in Ahmedabad, India to uplift the lives of young children in need of assistance. This project is to complete the full circle of the Ekatva journey. Our goal is to take 16 kids and five chaperons from TASP to visit the kids of Ekatva at the Gandhi Ashram in Ahmedabad, India in 2015-2016. Compassionate Chefs Cafe has already raised $20,000 towards this project. Our goal is to raise $60,000 this year. With your support and generous donation we will reach much closer to the goal. We are in constant touch with Nimo from Ekatva to help create an organic process to this journey. The main idea is to create a greater good objective of the spirit of Global citizenship through a dance-drama program. This will start locally first and grow into a city and state wide effort culminating into a trip to visit our brothers and sisters across the ocean in Gandhi Ashram. The essence of this project is following the foot steps of Ekatva with guidance from Nimo through Laura, the Program Director of Tenderloin After School Program. Sunday evening will include a feast at New Delhi Restaurant, 160 Ellis St. in San Francisco, with live entertainment featuring DJ Jimmy Love and Dholrhythms Dance Co. Click on the image above for more information about the event and CCC.

Founding members of Electric Vardo, Ultra Gypsy’s Jill Parker,Rose Hardenand Gibson Pearlteach classes and perform in the bay area. Click on each of their names for links to their websites. Rose teaches as part of Strange Brew, along with Zoe Jakes, Kami Liddle and Elizabeth Strong, Wednesdays at the FatChanceBellyDance studio. Jill teaches at ODC in SF and Spring Fall Studio in Berkeley.

Electric Vardo Alumni partner,Freyjaaka Vanessa Naja, currently offers private and group pilates and belly dance classes in the East Bay, as part of her practice, Holistic Moving. Sam and Amar currently have regular sessions with her and Highly recommend Vanessa
Holistic Moving offers private and group Pilates and Belly Dance classes designed to your individual bodies needs. Increase strength, flexibility and create graceful and balanced movement through instruction tailored to your needs. Every body is different, Every body needs a unique program. Classes are offered in North Oakland/Rockridge.

Cues & TattoosMarch 26-30, 2014 in Seattle, WA
Amar and Sam will be teaching at Cues & Tattoos and co-hosting the EMERALD VARDO AfterParty featuring an exclusive lineup of dancers, More details to come soon. Workshop registration is now open. Amar is also offering Video services for the festival. Visit the Cues & Tattoos website for video order forms.
The Emerald Vardo 2014 Cues & Tattoos AfterParty will be featured as part of DJ Amar’s Cheb i Sabbah Tribute Tour, joined by Lady Ra and UNMATA.

Electric Vardo Tribal Fest AfterParty
May 16-17, 2014, Sebastopol, CA
Tribal Fest 2014 registrations
and AfterParty Tix on sale now.AfterParty tix are on sale, with Special Early Bird discounts and bonuses.
The Official Tribal Fest AfterParty by Electric Vardo will take place on Friday and Saturday May 16 & 17.

Other things connected to us . . .

Music from Around the World – CDs and DVDs from my store and personal collection at my Amazon Store.

Authentic loose-leaf chai made fresh to order from a traditional family recipe with a flavor reminiscent of the railway station chai-wallas in India. Available in Traditional Black or Naturally Caffeine Free Rooibos.

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A note from Amar:
Dear friends and supporters. You may have heard the news already of Dear Cheb i Sabbah’s passing a couple of days ago. He was an inspiration, friend and uncle to me. He was one of the key people who gave me the opportunities which brought my career to where it is today. I remember back in 2004 when I was a new DJ, he asked me to sub for him at his Tuesday night weekly at Nickie’s while he was travelling. That is a big part of what kickstarted it all for me.

He was diagnosed with stage stomach cancer just a day after he played at the Tribal Fest Afterparty in May of 2011. The music and support of all of the people from around the world who stepped up to help him with his medical treatments that and filled the dancefloors that summer forward is what kept him going longer than the doctors ever believed possible (they gave him an estimate of just a few weeks to live). Following alternative treatment in germany and India, he strongly snapped back and continued travelling and rocking dancefloors. He was still coming out and DJing until just a few weeks ago. Holistic treatment kept him healthier for the time he was here than chemo ever would have. He chose the right thing so he could be present rather than slowly fade away. His message to all who love him is to send him off with meditations wishing him well on his journey into the next realm.

His partner during the last few years of his life, Eloise, who was by his side and took care of Cheb i Sabbah from beginning to end, shares this message: “Please take a moment to recite mantra for Chebiji’s liberation, for world peace, for true happiness for all sentient beings. “OM MANI PADME HUM” … It was my honor to care for him, to share life and love together. He is forever with me, he is my angel. OM MANI PADME HUM!”

Eloise is His angel, and is a permanent member of our family. Blessings go out to Eloise, to the rest of Chebiji’s family – including his close friends who he considered family just the same – and to his extended family of supporters who stood by his side from near and far.

This coming Tuesday, we will be honoring him at the new Tuesday weekly that we started in part as a way to keep his dream alive. Cheb i Sabbah, DJ Sep, Dulce Vita, Gina Grandi and myself launched Underground Nomads together as a new event to bring together the world music vibes that were created by Cheb i Sabbah’s legendary Tuesdays at Nickie’s, by the Thursday nights at El Rio back in the day with Ultra Gypsy, DJ Sep, myself, Soulsalaam and Jef Stott, the belly dance nights at Amira and other regular world music inspired events that we all used to go out to, perform at and enjoy. We are continuing and Growing our Underground Nomads nights in honor of Chebiji.

November 10 – 6pm-9pm: Dangerous Beauties at New Parish, Oakland.
Dangerous Beauties – the Long Strange Trip, A tribute to the Founding Mothers of the 60s and 70s. Evening show, doors at 6pm. Show ends at 9pm.

November 10 – 9pm-2am: Dub Mission featuring Mad Professor.
An extra-special Dub Mission lands at the Elbo Room this Sunday with Mad Professor, Joe Ariwa, General Levy and DJ Sep. Resident DJs and Special Guests are presented every Sunday, with an extra-big bang on the long weekends. This Veteran’s day weekend is not exception. I highly recommend arriving early.

Saturday November 16th (San Francisco): Non Stop Bhangra
Resident night with your Non Stop Bhangra crew: Your hosts DJ Jimmy Love and Dholrhythms. Residents Rav-E (DJ, Dhol), Pavit & Mehul (Dhol), Amar (Visuals), Odell Hussey (Photography). Non Stop Bhangra brings an eclectic bhangra vibe to Public Works in SF every month. This will be the last NSB of 2013. Come party with us before we take a month off to refresh for the new year leading up to NSB 100 and upward.

Sunday November 17 (Nov. 16, featuring Unmata & Calamity Sam,
is sold out): Beats Antique at the Fillmore with Alam Khan.Beats Antique: A Thousand Faces tour, 2 nights at the Fillmore. Saturday night is Sold Out. If you’re lucky enough to have tickets for Saturday, you will get to see UNMATA and Calamity Sam joining Zoe Jakes’s Special Guest performer crew. I hear they might be back on Sunday (but this is not confirmed). Tickets are still available for Sunday, when they will be joined by Alam Khan.

Thursday December 5 (Los Angeles, CA): Zulu Lounge
– A Vaudeville Holiday
DJ Amar and Calamity Sam return to their So-Cal residency joined by a smash-bangin lineup of LA’s top dancers, musicians and DJs. This show will showcase a wide range of dance performance styles, with dancefloor music spanning genres and cultures across the globe. We are back at our wonderful home in Hollywood: The King King, for a holiday spectacular that you will not want to miss. Discover the magic and music of Zulu lounge with resident DJs Amar and Psychotropic rockin the dancefloor with a special ATS and ITS jam on stage leading you into the night after an evening chock full of amazing performances.

Calamity Sam will also be teaching at Cues & Tattoos on SundayMarch 30th and performing at the Instructor’s Showcase on Friday March 28th, 2014 in Seattle, WA, and at Fusion Fest in Boise later next summer (dates tba). Other workshops and events in the works. Visit thecalamitysam.com for Sam’s whereabouts and links to register for her workshops.

Founding members of Electric Vardo, Ultra Gypsy’s Jill Parker,Rose Hardenand Gibson Pearlteach classes and perform in the bay area. Click on each of their names for links to their websites. Rose teaches as part of Strange Brew, along with Zoe Jakes, Kami Liddle and Elizabeth Strong, Wednesdays at the FatChanceBellyDance studio. Jill teaches at ODC in SF and Spring Fall Studio in Berkeley.

Cues & Tattoos – March 26-30, 2014 in Seattle, WA
Amar and Sam will be teaching at Cues & Tattoos and co-hosting the EMERALD VARDO AfterParty featuring an exclusive lineup of dancers, More details to come soon. Workshop registration is now open. Amar is also offering Video services for the festival. Visit the Cues & Tattoos website for video order forms.

Electric Vardo Tribal Fest AfterParty – May 16-17, 2014, Sebastopol, CA
Tribal Fest 2014 registrations and AfterParty Tix on sale now.AfterParty tix are on sale, with Special Early Bird discounts and bonuses.
The Official Tribal Fest AfterParty by Electric Vardo will take place on Friday and Saturday May 16 & 17.

Music from Around the World – CDs and DVDs from my store and personal collection at my Amazon Store.

Authentic loose-leaf chai made fresh to order from a traditional family recipe with a flavor reminiscent of the railway station chai-wallas in India. Available in Traditional Black or Naturally Caffeine Free Rooibos.

We are excited to welcome Special Guests Dunkelbunt from Austria and Makyo from Japan, joining resident Dulce Vita on the decks for the night. In addition to DJ sets, we will be opening the night with a Live set by Jinnaya (Makyo’s new project) featuring our local favorite percussionist Drumspyder and Tribal Fusion Belly Dancers E-chan & Milla.

In addition to all that, we have dance performances by Azure, Zoe Jakes joining resident Calamity Sam with some of her ITS dancers, Tatyana, Azure and Analisa.

A note from Amar:I just returned from Symbiosis and had an amazing weekend. I got to see Makyo’s set with Jinnaya late Saturday night and Dunkelbunt rockin the dancefloor on Sunday afternoon. Dulce Vita also joined me for my…

NOTE that F8 will be open for Happy Hour, so you can come even before 9 and hang out, enjoy some drink specials and appetisers. We start charging at 9:30, so if you are in early, you can stay for free (of course, we don’t mind the support, so you are free to contribute).

Also coming up in September.:

Dub Mission 17 Year Anniversary- All Resident Lineup + EP Release
This Sunday, September 1st, DUB MISSION will celebrate 17 years of spreading the dub virus throughout the Bay Area and beyond. DUB MSSION residents DJ SEP, MANEESH the TWISTER, VINNIE ESPARZA, and LUDICHRIS will have the dance floor jumping all night long. The night will also be a record release party for the Biggering Riddim EP, produced by DJ Sep and featuring vocals by two of Dub Missions favorite guests over the years: dr Israel and Mista Chatman. www.dubmission.com

Non Stop Bhangra (Date Changes) Sept. 14, Oct. 19, Nov. 16.
As always, the night will begin with the ritual Bhangra dance lesson followed by beautiful dance performances with Dholrhythms Dance Company. To round out the mix, Special Guest DJs join the decks with Non Stop Bhangra’s own DJ Jimmy Love and DJ Rav-E, with NSB dholis Pavit and Mehul rocking the drum beats. Beyond dance, Non Stop Bhangra caters to sight and sound with visuals all night by DJ Amar while NSB photographer Odell Hussey captures the experience. So come join the crew for another colorful and vibrant night with great music, friends, gratitude, happy vibes, and non stop dancing.Note the date changes for the rest of the year.

Non Stop Bhangra normally falls on the 2nd Saturday of the month, but due to some changes at the venue, NSB has been bumped to different weeks for the remainer of the year. We will likely resume 2nd Saturdays in 2014. Check nonstopbhangra.com for the latest.

Unmata / Hot Pot I.T.S. Bay Area classes with Calamity Sam … Current Session in Progress, Drop-ins welcome.
Calamity Sam is now the Exclusive Bay Area certified instructor of Unmata / Hot Pot Improvizational style Belly Dance classes, and is teaching in Oakland/Emeryville on Monday Nights. She just completed the first 2 of the ongoing 8 week sessions, and the next one begins on August 12th.

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It’s time to celebrate Cheb i Sabbah’s long awaited return from India, and we’re doing it at Bissap Baobab!

Join us for a night of worldly dance floor beats with the man of the hour himself, joined by DJ Amar, for a night of music reminiscent of the old days at Nickies – spinning sounds from the middle eastern, north Africa, India, the Balkans, Latin America and beyond!

We will also be featuring a performance by the ladies of FatChanceBellyDance!

Following his smashing send off at the Nickies Flashback show last fall, we return with the same vibe for Chebiji’s first night spinning in SF since his recent return from India – loaded with fresh new sounds from his trip and his signature Outernational mix.

We are pleased to be hosting another night, which is both a fundraiser and a night with Cheb i Sabbah. Since his diagnosis with stomach cancer, there has been an amazing outpouring of help through direct donations and benefit shows all over the world. All of the support has enabled Chebiji to come back and continue playing for us. He has recently returned from winter in India where he received further treatment and played a few shows.

Please join us as we welcome him back for a night where he will do what he loves most – share his music with you on the dancefloor. Your attendance is important beyond any monetary means, and all of us on the dancefloor are who are fuelling his recovery and keeping him going through this brutal fight with cancer. Financial support is definitely still needed, and funds from this night will go toward his treatment fund. The amazing physical support (the crowd on the dancefloor) at the Nickie’s Flashback sendoff party before he went to India was amazing. We invite you back, and ask you to help spread the word and bring your friends to fill the dancefloor and bring the vibe that has been alive in SF for over 20 years.

Thank you to the folks at Bissap Baobab for hosting us, and thank you to all of you who have given support and continue to support in many ways.

RSVP on the facebook page, if you’d like, and join us on the Dancefloor 🙂